The Girl Who Saved Him
by snapesgirl1313
Summary: When Colonel Tavington reunites with a woman who saved his life two years ago, he decides to keep her at the British fort. Eventually, he falls for the girl. What will happen in the near future? Tavinton/OC
1. The Flashback

Who do these belong to?" Colonel Tavington asked, looking through the dispatches in his hand. When no one answered him, his eyes narrowed. "Who's are these?" he yelled. He then looked up at the family standing in front of him on the steps of their home. He turned his gaze to Benjamin, the oldest male in the group, and glared.

No one answered for a moment, and then there was a voice from behind everyone else. "They're… they're mine sir."

Colonel Tavington looked for the source of the voice and caught the uneasiness of the entire family. There was movement from the back of the group and a young woman emerged to stand in the front.

She was a young woman, maybe twenty years old, but no more than that. Her hair was a beautiful blonde, pale as snow, and had a slight wave to it. He eyes were a brilliant deep sea blue. Her face was small, as well as her physique, and her skin was smooth and pale as porcelain. The woman was wearing tight black pants and a loose white shirt. Her attire looked more like that of a man's than of a woman's.

Colonel Tavington took in the young woman's bloodstained shirt and his eyes traveled to her small and beautiful face, and he gave a start. He knew this girl! He opened his mouth to speak, but no voice came out. He was too shocked by the mere presence of the girl.

The woman bit her lip and climbed down the steps to stand in front of the Colonel Tavington. "The dispatches sir. They're mine," she said, her voice tiny. Her lips displayed a small smile, but she tried to hide it. Perhaps she remembered him as well.

_~flashback (2 years ago)~_

"Gabriel!" Samantha yelled after her younger brother. She sighed as the oldest boy in her family raced out of the courtroom, furious at what his father was arguing for. Samantha shook her head and ran out after the boy, despite their aunt's pleas to stay seated.

But even though Samantha ran as fast as she could, when she opened the doors of the courtroom, she couldn't find Gabriel amongst the many people outside. He had easily disappeared within the crowd, and Samantha knew it would be almost impossible to find him.

So, instead of searching for someone who would not be found, Samantha took the time to take a walk. She needed to clear her mind anyway. So Samantha took off for the fields, which where just beyond the town.

But as she reached the top of the hill that separated the town from the fields, Samantha quickly realized that she would not be clearing her mind. At the bottom of the hill, she saw a man sitting and leaning up against a tree. A horse, undoubtedly his, stood a few feet away. Even from the distance she was at, Samantha could clearly see that he wore no shirt and that his uniform lay beside him. She recognized that he was with the British army. Samantha bit her lip.

Suddenly, the man's head turned to where she was standing, and Samantha knew that he had spotted her. She instantly held her breath, afraid that he would turn his gun on her next. But the man simply looked away from her, pointedly ignoring her. Samantha narrowed her eyes. What was with this man?

And on an impulse, she decided to go find out for herself. She walked down the hill at a leisurely pace and then stood beside the man, creating a shadow over the majority of his body. The man growled.

"What do you want?" he asked cruelly, his gaze once more on her. But despite his tough-guy act, he winced in pain after his question. Only then did Samantha notice that he held his hand to his shoulder, and that blood was seeping through. He was hurt!

"You're hurt," she said blatantly.

The man growled in annoyance. "I'm very aware of that, girl," he hissed.

Samantha sighed and instantly knelt down to his level. Pulling her bag in front of herself, she began to dig through it, looking for the proper supplies. "Get away from me," the man persisted angrily.

"Oh do quiet down. You're hurt and you need help. Now, move your hand," she responded, ignoring his rude behavior. But the man refused to be of any help and shook his head.

Samantha sighed in aggravation. "You're not helping your condition. Now stop moving and let me help you!" she exclaimed. The man glared at her. Samantha groaned and made to move his hand herself. But he reacted quickly. He grabbed her hand tightly with his other hand and growled in her face. "Leave me girl. I do not require or want your help. Now get!" And with that, he let go of her and looked away, giving her a chance to run away. But Samantha did no such thing.

"Sir, you are hurt. You do require my help. And as for you not wanting it, frankly, I don't care. I came all the way down here to help you and I intend to do exactly that. Now move your hand!" Samantha said forcefully.

The man looked back at the girl, a curious look in is eyes. And instead of exploding as Samantha thought he would do, he removed his hand from his wound. "Very well," he stated.

Samantha sat in a daze for a few moments, but quickly set to work on removing the bullet from his shoulder. As he winced in pain, she felt a sort of pity for the man. But she knew the bullet needed to be removed, so she tried to make it as painless as possible. And when the metal was out, Samantha wiped the blood away and withdrew a needle and thread from her bag. "This is going to hurt badly," she whispered.

The man looked at the objects in her hand, and then down at his wound and nodded. Perhaps he knew it was necessary. Samantha bit her lip and pierced the needle through his skin. The man gasped in pain and grabbed her arm impulsively. He squeezed as Samantha continued to sew and when she was finished, she noticed his eyes were shut tight. She gently touched his arm to let him know she was finished and he instantly let go of her. "I apologize," he said, eying the bruise already forming on her arm where his hand had been.

But Samantha shook her head, smiling. "It's no problem. I hurt you, you hurt me. We're even," she said with a giggle. The man raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

Samantha went to dig in her bag once more for a bottle of alcohol, when she suddenly heard the click of a gun from behind her. Her breath failed her and her heart began to beat triple its normal pace. She looked up at the man sitting beside her to see that he was glaring over her shoulder. He did not have his gun out, so she knew that the person behind her did. She bit her lip.

"Are you going to kill me, then?" the man asked, his eyes cold. The man behind Samantha must have shaken his head because the man sitting next to her asked another question. "Then what are you here for?"

"I'm here for the girl. Once she moves, I'll kill you," the man with the gun stated. Instantly, Samantha gasped and stood up to turn around. The man with the gun was her brother Gabriel.

"Gabriel! What are you doing here?" she asked, shocked.

Her brother looked down at her, still holding the gun. "I'm here to save you! Now move, so I can kill the redcoat," he ordered. Samantha immediately shook her head.

"Gabriel, I can't let you do that. Put the gun down," she told him, her voice forceful. She wasn't his older sister for nothing.

But surprisingly, Gabriel shook his head. "Sammy, move. He's a redcoat; he has to die."

Samantha gasped and looked back at the man sitting against the tree. He rolled his eyes. Samantha couldn't help but smile at him. And then she moved her gaze back to her brother. "Gabriel, this man was already shot. I helped him and stitched up his wound. I won't let you put another bullet in him. Do you understand me?"

And Gabriel's hand holding the gun faltered. He looked at his sister in shock. "What?" he asked.

"Gabriel, just go back to the town," Samantha told him. And Gabriel stepped back, suddenly afraid of what Samantha had said.

"Fine, but I'm going to get father!" he yelled and running up the hill, looking back to make sure they hadn't moved, and then disappeared. Samantha sighed and fell back to the ground. She took in a deep breath, trying to clear her thoughts.

"You should have let him shoot me," the man stated bluntly. Samantha sighed and turned around to face him, giving him a glare.

"After all that work I did to help you! I don't think so," she said. She eyed his wound and remembered she was supposed to clean it. So she brought the alcohol out of her bag and dabbed a cloth in it. She wiped the liquid over his wound and he winced. She whispered an apology. She then placed a bandage over his shoulder and taped it in place. "There we go. As good as new," she said to herself.

The man sighed and made to stand up. Samantha rushed to help him up. Surprisingly, he allowed her to do so. She grabbed the top part of his uniform and put it on him. "You should probably be leaving. My father will be here soon. It would be best if he didn't see you," she said quietly.

The man nodded and clumsily got atop his horse. Samantha held its reigns for him and then handed them up. "I want you to go easy on yourself for the next few days. I know being a soldier doesn't necessarily allow you to do that, but it would help you to heal quicker. And I also want you to see a doctor to make sure everything is alright."

The man smirked. "Alright Your Highness," he said sarcastically. Samantha narrowed her eyes. The man chuckled. "But I do thank you Miss…?"

"Samantha Martin," she filled in for him. The man nodded. "Then I thank you Miss Martin. I'm am very grateful."

Samantha nodded "And may I know your name?"

The man looked up at the hill cautiously and nodded. "My name is Colonel William Tavington."

Samantha smiled and looked at the hill as well. "You should go Colonel," she warned.

Colonel Tavington dipped his head in her direction. "Good bye Miss Martin. And thank you once again."

Samantha smiled. "Goodbye Colonel!" she cried as he rode away quickly.

And not long after he disappeared from view, Samantha's father and brother came down from the hill. Samantha grinned and did not regret saving the man's life at all.


	2. Payback

*I know that chronologically, Colonel Tavinton should be nowhere near the Martins two years prior to the start of the movie/story. But for the sake of my story, please just go along with it. Thank you so much!*

* * *

The colonel smirked, remembered exactly what this woman had done for him. But unfortunately, he still had to act the part of a cruel colonel. So he let out a small chuckle and waved the dispatches in front of the woman's face. "Do you really expect me to believe that? That these dispatches belong to you?"

"Yes sir," the woman nodded, her eyes portraying a small bit of hurt.

Colonel Tavington pursed his lips. "What are you doing here then? Shouldn't you be delivering these?" he asked, making sure the papers were now out of the woman's reach.

The woman bit her lip. "I was wounded in battle. These people gave me shelter and care," she explained. Her hand flew back to motion to her family standing in back of her.

Colonel Tavington looked at the family in back of the woman. He glared at each and every one of the members, as if daring them to speak up. As if he knew that the woman standing in front of him really wasn't the owner of the dispatches in his hand.

But no one spoke up. No one made a sound that would prove the woman's claim wrong. So the colonel turned his attention to a few officers standing next to him. "Tie up the girl and put her on my horse. I'll take her to the fort and hang her as a spy."

The woman tried to make her sudden intake of breath as concealed as possible, but she could not hide the spark of fear in her eyes. Unfortunately, Colonel Tavington saw that spark and smiled. "Scared, woman?" he asked cruelly.

The woman's eyes suddenly hardened. "It was my duty to deliver those dispatches. I have been caught and failed in my task. I must accept the consequences of my careless actions," the woman said. Then her eyes found their way to the ground. She mumbled, "I would die either way."

Colonel Tavington sneered. "Tie her up, now!" he snarled. Two redcoats then sprang into action and rushed forward to grab the woman's wrists and tie them together with rope.

"Father, do something!" the oldest boy in the family on the steps begged. The young woman shot a glare at the boy. He instantly shut up, but Benjamin Martin stepped forward. "Sir, the girl cannot be hanged as a spy. She was merely delivering the dispatches. By the rules of war…"

Suddenly, Colonel Tavington grew angry. "The rules of war, would you like a lesson in the rules of war?" he asked, drawing out his gun and holding it to the man. The woman gasped, but Benjamin stood still. Seeing that his threat was useless, he moved the gun to the man's children.

Benjamin gasped and rushed to stand in front of his children. He spread out his arms to block the colonel's access to his family. "No lesson is necessary," he said, his voice trembling. Colonel Tavington scowled and put his gun away. He then eyed the woman, whose hands were still tied up with rope. "Get her up here," he ordered. One of the redcoats then lifted her up onto the horse and put her arms around the colonel's waist. His eyes narrowed when he felt the girl tremble in fright. "We're leaving. Burn the house and the crops, and take the slaves. And remember to kill the rebel wounded."

And before anyone could stop him, the second oldest Martin boy rushed down the steps and ran to take down the redcoat who had lifted his sister onto the horse. And suddenly, Colonel Tavington had his gun out once more and aimed at the boy. He didn't hesitate to shoot and the sound rang out against the silence of the family. The boy fell to the ground and as if awoken from a trance, Benjamin raced forward to catch his son. The young woman behind Colonel Tavington gasped and involuntarily tightened her grip on his waist. Her shaking soon became uncontrollable.

"Thomas…" the woman whispered. She gulped. "Colonel, please let me down. Please Colonel Tavington, I beg of you," she pleaded. Tears started to form in her eyes and then to pour down her cheeks. She watched as her father held her younger brother, and saw his face turn deathly pale. Then, she started to sob. "Please Colonel! Let me see him!"

Colonel Tavington snarled. "And why should I do that?"

"He's… he's my brother," the woman said through her tears. "Please, I swear I will go willingly to the fort with you. I promise. I'll walk beside the horse the entire time! Please, just let me see my brother."

And Colonel Tavington suddenly felt extremely guilty. Here he was, repaying the woman for saving his life by killing her brother. What kind of idiot was he? He tried to look extremely displeased as he put his gun away and untied the rope keeping the woman's hands together. "Thank you sir," she whispered gratefully and prepared to jump down from the horse.

"Someone help her down," he ordered. The woman looked up surprised, but quickly shook it off to accept the hand offered to her. After being helped down, she ran to her father and brother. "Oh Thomas! What were you thinking? Please…. be all right," the woman said, kneeling down next to her brother. She ran her hand through his hair and kissed his forehead gently. She then looked up to her father. "I'm so sorry father. This is my fault. I didn't mean for it to be this way, I promise."

Benjamin didn't say anything to his daughter, but instead watched the life leave his son's eyes. "Go Samantha. Run away; before they catch you," Benjamin suddenly whispered. The woman gasped and looked up at her father. She then looked at the colonel, who was not so patiently waiting for her to come back to him.

"Father, I can't. You heard me; I made a promise to come back willingly. I'm sorry," she said looking down at Thomas.

"Thomas died trying to give you a chance to escape. Here's your chance," Benjamin whispered. The woman could feel the tears returning to her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "They would catch me anyways."

"I would distract them. Listen Samantha, Thomas is already dead, and I won't have another one of my children die today. Understand?" Benjamin whispered harshly.

"But father…" the woman pleaded.

"Go to your aunt's house, now," Benjamin ordered.

The woman stood and was about to run when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat at being caught and she gave her father an apologetic look. She then turned around to face Colonel Tavington.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked impatiently. The woman gasped silently; the colonel hadn't known what she and her father were planning. She sighed in relief.

"Yes sir," she said in response to his question. Colonel Tavington then outstretched his hand in the woman's direction. She gave him a questioning look. "I thought I was going to walk beside the horse," she said confusedly.

The colonel rolled his eyes. "It's a long way back to the fort. Unless you want to run the whole way…"

The woman's eyes widened. "No, the horse is fine. Thank you Colonel," she said and accepted his outstretched hand. He lifted her onto the horse and she wrapped her arms around his waist in a semi-tight grip. Colonel Tavington seemed somewhat surprised at how willing she really was, but soon shook it off. He then slapped the sides of his horse and led it to the British fort.

~*~*~

But Samantha now shook in anger. She was furious with the man! She knew he remembered her; the look in his eyes answered that. How could he kill Thomas?

"Is that how you repay me? By killing my brother?" she whispered angrily in his ear. The man shuddered.

"I… I didn't know he was your brother. If I had known, I would have never even drawn my gun!" he explained. Samantha snarled at his pitiful excuse.

"And let me guess. To show your immense gratitude, you're going to kill me too!" Samantha exclaimed. The colonel did not respond. He shut his eyes for a moment to collect his emotions, and then continued to steer the horse.

Samantha hissed. "You disgust me."


	3. A Change of Heart

"My Lord, I have with me a spy. She was carrying these dispatches," Colonel Tavington stated, bringing the woman forward and dropping the papers on Lord Cornwallis's desk. His grip was iron tight on Samantha's arm.

Lord Cornwallis turned around to acknowledge the two newcomers in his office. He took in Colonel Tavington's proper stance and smug look, and then turned his gaze to the woman, who was about half the man's size. Suddenly, Lord Cornwallis started to laugh. Tavington's eyes hardened in anger.

"Colonel, do you really expect me to believe this girl is a part of the war? If only a dispatch writer?" Lord Cornwallis asked through his chuckles.

Tavington opened his mouth to explain the situation and defend his claims, but Samantha beat him to it. "Why can't I be? I don't see the problem with those dispatches belonging to me. Let me tell you something, they are mine, so you can stop laughing and actually take this seriously."

Tavington swallowed conspicuously and eyed the woman next to him. Feeling the need to protect her, he unconsciously moved closer to her side. His grip on her arm loosened slightly as he looked at Lord Cornwallis. The Lord's face was shocked and his were eyes wide, as if he had never been yelled at before in his life. Especially by a woman.

But Lord Cornwallis soon collected himself. "My dear, do you realize that you will be hanged as a spy if these dispatches are truly yours? Are you sure there isn't something you want to tell us about?"

Samantha's eyes hardened in anger. "YES!" she yelled. "They are mine!"

And suddenly, Lord Cornwallis stood up from his desk and walked around it, advancing towards the woman. His face was pulled tight and his eyes were clouded with anger. He reached out for the collar of Samantha's shirt, but she was jerked back and the Lord only grabbed air. Lord Cornwallis looked up outraged to see Colonel Tavington standing in front of the woman.

The colonel had pulled Samantha back to safety and went to stand in front of her. His hand was still clasped around her wrist, but the grasp was feather light. Samantha stood wide-eyed in the background.

"My Lord," Colonel Tavington started. "While I agree that this woman's rude behavior, unfitting for that of a woman, has proven her most certainly deserving to be hanged, I do believe that she could be of some use to us as well.

Lord Cornwallis stopped his seething to look at the colonel fully. He seemed amazed, but then he took in the man's protective stance in front of the woman. He then started to grin and a chuckle escaped him once more. "You mean of use to you Colonel," he said slyly.

Colonel Tavington began to look outraged, so Lord Cornwallis finished what he had to say. "Keep her then. For God's sake, maybe a woman will do you well."

The colonel fought to keep his stance and tongue proper. Behind him, Samantha's eyes had grown even wider and slightly afraid. "Just make sure she doesn't get into any trouble," Lord Cornwallis added. He then waved his hand, signaling for the two to get out of his office and leave him be.

Colonel Tavington tightened his grip on the woman's wrist and dragged her out of the office. He shut the door behind him once they were out and let go of Samantha.

She watched him in shock, completely thrown off balance at the fact that he had saved her life. She took in a deep breath. "I… I apologize Colonel Tavington. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I should have remained calm and waited until you were finished."

Colonel Tavington gulped. He opened his mouth, but could find no words. He closed it and looked pleadingly at Samantha. She smiled sadly, instantly forgiving him against her better judgment. "I know, you're sorry. And I forgive you. You didn't know he was my brother. I shouldn't blame you for that," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Colonel Tavington felt his heart clench. "I'm so sorry Miss Martin. I don't know what to do, but whatever you want, I'll do it. I promise. Please, I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, his voice shaking. Samantha smiled weakly and touched his shoulder.

"I know. It's all right. Now, if you don't mind. I would like to change out of this," she said, waving her hand over her bloodstained shirt and giggling just a small bit.

Colonel Tavington sighed in relief, and then looked at her, as if scrutinizing her. Samantha seemed to shrink back a little, slightly uncomfortable.

"There has to be a dress around here somewhere," he mumbled to himself and turned around. He began to walk down the hallway, and Samantha had to run to catch up with him.

"Why a dress sir? Surely you could just lend me a pair of pants and a shirt?" Samantha asked quietly. Tavington stopped in his tracks so fast; Samantha had continued to walk for about another second. She turned to face him.

"Lord Cornwallis has handed you over to me. He believes that it is now my duty to make sure you are bathed, well-dressed and groomed for public eyes. If you were to be seen with me as you are now, people would think you were a joke. In turn, they wouldn't take me seriously."  
"Oh, all right sir," Samantha apologized almost instantly.

Tavington looked at the girl curiously. "That's another thing; you will not call me 'sir' any longer. It would be ridiculous for the woman on my arm at a ball to call me sir."

Samantha bit her lip. "Then… do you want me to call you William?"

Tavington opened his mouth to answer, but hesitated. She had remembered his name after all that time. He let out a breath of air. "Yes."

Samantha smiled. "William," she said, testing out his name. She realized that he shared the name with her youngest brother, but it seemed to fit the colonel better. Tavington nodded and began to walk away, but at a slower pace so that Samantha could catch up.

"It would also do me well to call you Samantha, if you don't mind," William said, still walking. Samantha looked up at him and smiled softly. "No, I don't mind at all." William nodded and continued to walk down the hallway in search of a dress for the woman walking next to him.

~*~*~*~

In no more than two hours, William had found a dress that would fit Samantha and she had bathed and pulled her hair into a low side ponytail. She wiggled her way into the beautiful blue dress and attempted to tie up the back. Unfortunately, her years of pants and a shirt had not prepared her for the task. She made her way to the door and opened it quietly. She peeked out and saw William standing off to the side. Samantha sighed in relief.

"William?" she called. He looked in her direction and couldn't help but stand shocked in place. The woman was beautiful. "Would you mind helping me?" she asked. William raised an eyebrow and eyed her body, trying to figure out what was wrong. Samantha giggled. "I don't know how to tie this up," she explained. William smirked and walked forward. Samantha turned around so her back was facing him. But William stopped short when he realized he could see her bare back. He gulped and couldn't tear his eyes away. "I don't usually wear dresses, so I don't really know how to do this. Thank you for helping me," Samantha said politely.

William was finally able to close his eyes in order to collect himself. He took a deep breath and then opened his eyes once more. He completed his way to Samantha and took the ribbon from her hand. He then looped the ribbon through the holes, taking special care not to touch the woman's skin. William pulled the ribbon tight, and Samantha gasped at the pull against her body. But William didn't care. He suddenly felt as if he needed to hide her body from everyone else. He didn't want any other man to see her that way. And suddenly, shocked at his thoughts, William backed away.

Samantha turned around and smiled. William noticed that her blue eyes almost exactly matched the dress she was now wearing. He allowed himself a smirk and congratulated himself on his find. "Thank you William. Do I… do I look all right?" she asked hesitantly.

He could feel his eyes softening, and he could do nothing to stop it. He could feel his lips curving into a small smile, and he still could do nothing to stop it. He could feel his head nodding up and down, and he found that he didn't want to stop. "You look beautiful Samantha," he said. Her eyes widened at the complement and she grinned in delight. She giggled and blushed a pale pink. But her smile instantly faltered as her eyes found someone in back of William.

"Colonel Tavington! Our men, twenty of them are dead. There's only one survivor!" an officer exclaimed, running down the hallway to meet the colonel. William's eyes grew cold once more. "Who did it?" he asked. Samantha shrunk into the doorway of her room.

"We don't know; he won't talk. We thought maybe you could help," the officer responded. William pursed his lips and nodded. He turned towards Samantha. "I won't be long. I promise," he said gently. Samantha nodded and immediately disappeared back into her room, shutting the door lightly behind her.

William then turned to the officer. "Lead me to him," he ordered. The officer nodded and the two men walked outside to get their horses.


	4. Warnings

William Tavington entered the fort angry. His eyes were cold, his face was hard, and his whole body was rigidly straight. He marched into the building, refusing to respond to anyone's questioning or to even make eye contact. All his attention was focused directly ahead of him. That was, until he strode right down to Samantha's room. Not even bothering to knock on the door, he slammed the wood open and stepped into the room. Samantha, as soon as she realized who had barged into the room, bit her lip and watched the man from her seat in the corner. William growled under his breath and flung his hat from his head. Samantha quietly stood and tiptoed to the door, shutting it gently. She then turned to see William sitting on the edge of her bed, seething in anger.

"William…" she whispered. He didn't respond, so Samantha sat down on the bed next to him. "William…" she tried again.

"Twenty men… twenty of our men were killed today," he ground out. "And the one survivor claims there was only one. One man! How could one man possibly kill twenty of our men?" he asked, his fists clenched tightly.

"Did you search the area? Was he still around somewhere?" Samantha asked cautiously. William shook his head in response. "I ordered the search, but no one was there," he sighed and calmed down slightly. "The survivor claims that he was a ghost!" he spat out, angry once more.

"A ghost! You don't believe that, do you?" Samantha asked incredulously.

William smirked. "Of course I don't. It was a man; I know that for sure. But the man is quick and sure knows what he's doing. I'll give him that."

Suddenly William looked around and realized just exactly where he was. His eyes widened and he stared at Samantha, who was, thankfully, still decent. He sighed in relief. "I… I apologize for barging in. I should have knocked." But he was still confused at how his feet had brought him to her room in the first place. Wouldn't it have been more prudent to go to his own room?

Samantha smiled softly and shook her head. "It's alright. You were angry. I don't mind," she assured him.

William smirked, but suddenly thought of something, making him turn instantly serious. Samantha caught the change and bit her lip again. "William, what is it?" she asked worriedly.

"Samantha… I need you to listen to me," William said quietly, yet urgently. Samantha nodded and waited patiently. William sighed.

"Samantha, I recently received notice that we're going to battle tomorrow morning. Everyone in the fort is leaving except the guards. I want you to stay hidden and safe," he hesitated.

Samantha hesitated. "Is there a chance that…"

William shook his head, interrupting her. "They've never tried to storm an unoccupied fort. Their numbers are too small. They need all their men in battle. I don't think they would dare waste their men on an empty fort.

"Then, why have me hide?" Samantha asked suspiciously.

"It's just a precaution. We're in the middle of a war, so we need to be extremely careful. Trust me, I don't believe anything will happen. In addition, the guards will stay to keep you and the fort safe. You'll be fine," William reassured her.

Samantha looked down at her fidgeting hands, a question suddenly forming in her mind. "But… what about you?" William looked at her, an eyebrow raised and a questioning look in his eyes.

"What about me?" he asked her.

Samantha let out a breathy laugh. "William, you're going to battle tomorrow!" she exclaimed and looked up at him. He still looked confused. Samantha let out an aggravated groan. "You know, this is a war William! Battles include swords, guns, canons, and death! You were just seething about twenty men's deaths; what about you?" she asked, her voice steadily rising, until she was practically yelling.

William narrowed his eyes. "You're… afraid that I'll die or something?" He still couldn't grasp the seemingly simple concept. Samantha sighed, as if giving up. "Just don't get hurt William. Just please, be careful."

William nodded and stared at the woman next to him. "Yeah, alright. I won't." Samantha raised an eyebrow. "Promise?"

William stood up and walked to the door. "I promise," he said quietly and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

~*~*~

Later that night, there was a knock on Samantha's door. She looked up from the book she was reading and called to the person outside her door. "Please, come in!" she said politely.

The door opened a second later, and Lord Cornwallis stepped into the room. He shut the door behind him and then stood still. When Samantha looked up again and realized who it was, her eyes widened.

"Oh! Lord Cornwallis, I apologize! I didn't think it would be you!" she exclaimed and jumped up from her seat. "Please, have a seat."

Lord Cornwallis smirked and shook his head. "That is unnecessary my dear. Please, sit back down."

Samantha looked at Cornwallis uneasily, but did as she was told and sat back down in her seat. Lord Cornwallis then looked around the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He smiled at Samantha. "You're probably wondering the reason as to why I'm here, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Samantha hesitated.

Cornwallis chuckled. "No doubt Tavington has already informed you of the battle tomorrow morning?" Samantha nodded. "Well, he assured me I need not worry about you being all alone in the fort, but I do anyway. So I'm here to make sure you don't get into any trouble."

Samantha bit her lip. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Well, if you are indeed the spy you claim to be, an empty fort would be the perfect place to steal something and escape back to your side. I'm here to tell you that my office will be locked and I will station guards not only outside the building, but inside as well. And if you happen to disappear while we're gone, I will personally come to find you, and I will kill you. No matter what Tavington does to try to stop me."

Samantha took in a deep breath. "Of course sir. I would never dream of doing any of those things. I am grateful for the second chance you have given me. I don't want to break the little trust you have in me."

Cornwallis raised an eyebrow. "We'll see about that," he said as he stood up and walked to the door. "It was nice talking to you Miss Martin," he finished and walked out the door. It slammed shut behind him.

As soon as the door shut, Samantha let out a breath of air she had been holding. She set her book on the floor and put her head in her hands. Her next breaths came out choppy and uneven. What was going on here? Why wasn't she dead? William had said she would be hanged! And now, he decides to keep her in return for saving his life! No one trusted her and they all thought she was a spy ready to take off at the next chance she got!

But technically, wasn't she supposed to? She was here in Gabriel's place. Gabriel would have already escaped from the fort, or died trying. He wouldn't have been given special treatment and he wouldn't have hesitated to get away. He wouldn't have promised Lord Cornwallis that he wouldn't escape either! Samantha sighed. She was messing this up horribly.

Samantha got up from her chair and laid down on the bed. Tears came to her eyes. And why, why on Earth was she so worried? So what if William Tavington was going to battle tomorrow morning? So what if he didn't ever come back? So what if Samantha never got to see or talk to him ever again? She let out a sob.

Suddenly, Samantha started to bawl. She should hate this man! He killed Thomas and threatened to kill her father! He burned her house and all of the families' crops, and took all of the workers to God knows where! He had even threatened to kill her at one point! William Tavington was one of the cruelest men she had ever met!

And then, something stopped her. She was still here, alive and well, completely safe. And if was all thanks to the same man. He had given her shelter, food, a bath, and a beautiful dress that matched her eyes perfectly. Samantha thought back to the time when he helped her off the horse to see her brother and the time when he helped her with her dress. He had even told her to stay safe while he was gone!

Samantha sighed. Those memories made William seem like a perfect gentleman! But she knew he wasn't. She knew he was only nice to her and that the way he acted in the battlefield was the real him. Samantha wiped away her tears. And why was he so nice to her? Because she had saved his life two years ago!

She was declared as a spy and given the penalty of death. She was William's greatest supposed enemy! Was it because he knew for a fact that the dispatches weren't hers? Could he perhaps know they really belonged to her younger brother Gabriel? But how could he? Nobody had given him any reason to not trust her in her claims.

It all came back to the reason as to why she was still alive. There must be a reason why she was now treated like royalty. Sure, she saved his life, but the evidence weighing against her should have been enough to kill her. Was he really that grateful to her?

But Samantha could not think of any other logical reason. She sighed and closed her eyes. In her mind, she could see her family and they were all smiling. Thomas and her mother were still alive and their house was still standing. Samantha smiled slightly. She was not in her own mental picture. She knew she now longer belonged to her family. Could this be where she belonged though? At a British army fort, treated like a queen by a colonel. Samantha found that she didn't mind the thought that much. She got up suddenly, and changed into the nightgown William had dropped off earlier in the day. She then turned off her lights and crawled into bed, drifting off into a deep sleep.


	5. The Decision

The next morning, there was another knock on Samantha's door. Samantha was still sleeping, so she didn't hear it. The next set of knocks were louder and seemed more urgent. This managed to stir the sleeping girl. More knocks were heard, which eventually turned into a banging on the door.

"I'll be right there! Please just hold on for a moment!" Samantha called, finally understanding that there was someone at the door. She jumped out of bed and threw on a robe over her nightgown. She then raced to the door and quietly opened it. William stood outside of the door, looking extremely agitated and angry.

"William, is everything alright?" Samantha asked.

William turned to glare at her coldly. "What the hell were you doing?" he snarled, pushing Samantha aside to look into her room.

"Well… I was sleeping. That was until you woke me!" Samantha exclaimed, shocked at William's behavior. But suddenly, after she had explained herself, William seemed to deflate. He let out a breath of air and turned to Samantha. "I apologize. I was afraid you had… well, nevermind," he trailed off.

Samantha narrowed her eyes, but let it go. "So, are you leaving soon," she asked, changing the subject. William nodded. "We're leaving now. I just came by to remind you to be careful and stay safe. And please, just don't leave the fort."

Samantha jumped. Had Cornwallis told William of his threat, or had he been listening in. "I won't go anywhere. I'll stay in the building, I promise." William seemed relieved. "Thank you," he said.

"William… you promise you'll come back?" Samantha asked quietly. William looked at her and sighed. "Yes, Samantha, I will."

Samantha smiled slightly. "Thank you."

William nodded and then walked out the door. Samantha shut it behind him.

~*~*~

William and his troops returned the next morning reporting a brilliant victory. For a woman raised to support the rebel troops, Samantha had never been so happy to hear of their apparent failure. Samantha smiled as she stood by her window and looked down at the celebrating redcoats. She saw William in the middle, still atop his horse, attempting to move past the crowd of men. She saw him disappear into the stable for some time and then emerge once more and walk towards the building. No doubt to check on her.

Samantha smiled and looked into her mirror, making sure she looked good enough for William's return. Funny, she never used to care so much about her appearance. But shaking the thought aside, she raced to the door, threw it open and ran down the stairs to greet William.

The two met downstairs, William slowly walking to the staircase and Samantha practically running down the steps. She nearly knocked into him at the bottom.

But when she saw him, made sure that he wasn't hurt, and watched the look of relief sweep over his facial features, she grinned in delight and finished her path to the colonel. She threw herself upon him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

"William! I'm so glad you're back! And you're not hurt! I was so worried!" she exclaimed.

William, after catching Samantha in his arms, staggered backwards to balance himself. On impulse, he wrapped his arms around the girl's tiny waist and smiled at her professions. He chuckled. "I missed you too Samantha."

Samantha gasped and tilted her head back to look at William properly. "You did?" she asked quietly, her eyes widening.

William nodded. "And I'm very relieved to see that you're still here. I was a little nervous about leaving you here all alone, though I hate to admit it."

Samantha smiled, still in William's arms. She felt rather comfortable in the arms of her supposed enemy. And suddenly, Samantha made a decision. She wanted to stay with the colonel. "I won't leave unless you want me to leave William. I promise you that," she whispered resolutely.

William stood in shock for a moment. But suddenly, he smirked and looked around at the empty hallway. "Let's get going before someone sees us," he suggested and Samantha nodded. With that, William lifted Samantha up into his arms and carried her all the way back into her room, her laughter ringing through the halls even after they left.


End file.
